1. Technical Field
The embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a hybrid trackwidth read element.
2. Background Art
Driven by a continuing demand for ever-increasing amounts of information storage in an ever-decreasing volume, there is an ongoing trend to reduce dimensions in nearly all magnetic recording systems. Included in this trend is the width of the data track. Therefore, data tracks that were recorded at one time in a given older system (referred to herein as legacy data) are generally wider than data tracks that are recorded at a later time in newer systems (referred to herein as present data). Yet, at times, it may be necessary to read legacy data from similar media tape, floppy disk, rigid disk, or magnetic strip (e.g., such as on a credit card) based families. Legacy data may be stored on media along with present data. By design, the magnetic media forms regions of magnetization that are generally of similar magnetization orientation. A magnetic transition is formed when these regions have generally opposing magnetization directions to each other. The legacy data and present data are generally stored on the media as magnetic transitions spaced from each other by varying distances. Legacy data, in general, is written at a different trackwidth on the media than that of present data. Often times, the trackwidth of the legacy data on the media is greater than the trackwidth of present data.
Due to such a condition, data readers for reading present data on the media are generally configured to read such data at a narrow trackwidth as opposed to the trackwidth needed to read legacy data. In the event the trackwidth that is preferred for reading the present data is too narrow, such a condition may present a signal-to-noise issue while reading legacy data as the present data reader may not be able to sample enough of the media. As noted above, the media may be a mixture of isolated (e.g., not exchange coupled) particles and comprise legacy data. The particulate nature of the magnetic media is desired to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. To compensate for the potential signal-to-noise issues with a present data reader that is not able to sample enough of the media, a legacy data reader may be added to a media read device that is configured to read the legacy data at greater trackwidths. The media read device may also include a present data reader to read the present data from the media at narrow trackwidths. Such an implementation generally incurs significant cost for the media read device.